Little known is the fact that there were no official merchants in the Nanbu clan during the Sengoku period. The castle town of Morioka and others only developed after Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified the country. Due to its location at the northernmost tip of Honshu, it was isolated from Japan's logistics network during the Sengoku period. The Nanbu clan mainly traded with Ezo, and merchants from Sendai and the surrounding areas only rarely visited. In other words, it was a "closed economy."
(If you think about it, the entire Tohoku region could be described as a closed economy. Prestigious families like the Oshika and the Takasu Shibata clan remained until the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. While the Sengoku period continued in the Kanto region, Tohoku remained in the Muromachi period. The only true Sengoku daimyo from Tohoku were Date Masamune and Tsugaru Nobuhira.)
Yoshimatsu returned his attention to the man in front of him. Merchants were not supposed to come to this Mutsu region. However, in reality, a merchant had arrived by ship. Who was this man?
"Hehehe, I am a humble merchant named Kinsakuya Kansuke. I travel north and south from Fukaura. I was returning from Obi (present-day Matsumae, Hokkaido), but I thought I had never been to Tanabe, so I decided to make a detour, yes."
"Kinsakuya Kansuke... I've never heard of you. Grandfather, do you know him?"
"Kinsakuya, if I recall correctly, is a merchant who connects the Ando and Kaizuka families. What business do you have in Shinden?"
"Hehe, well, I'm a merchant, so I'll deal with anything that makes money. I'm not a retainer of the Ando family, and I'd like to see the goods of the Shinden family, yes."
Yoshimatsu looked up at the suspicious man in front of him, his chin pulled back. Although it looked like he was glaring, he was just a three-year-old child. Kansuke smiled without a care.
(Kinsakuya Kansuke, I've heard that name somewhere. Fukaura, is that the Fukaura in southern Tsugaru? The place with the Twelve Lakes... Ah, could it be the "Kinsakuya Kansuke" from the Fukaura buried treasure legend? He's said to have amassed gold through pirate-like activities and made a fortune through trade with Ezo...)
Yoshimatsu, who had been sitting cross-legged, slapped his knees. Kansuke blinked in surprise. Despite his appearance as a child, his reactions and speech were adult-like.
"Hey, Kansuke, would you like to do business with this new land of Tanabe?"
"It's Kansuke. Of course, I'd be delighted to do business, but what kind of goods?"
Yoshimatsu clapped his hands twice, and Yoshimaru entered with two young pages. These were children sent to Tanabe to reduce the population, but Yoshimatsu had chosen two relatively intelligent ones to serve as pages.
"These are the special products made in Tanabe. From left to right, they are soap, bricks, and charcoal."
Kansuke, who had initially tilted his head, became serious as he listened to Yoshimatsu and then fell silent.
"I want you to bring paper from Echizen and sweet potato seedlings and craftsmen from Echigo. There might be slaves for sale. If that's too difficult, just bring the seedlings."
"Ha... I hear there are many slaves captured during the Ikkō-ikki conflicts in Echizen, so it should be possible to buy them. But as for craftsmen..."
"It doesn't matter. We're short of hands in Tanabe. I'm a child, but even a ten-year-old child would do. If you can find someone who can work, please buy them."
"Hehe, I understand. Still, I didn't expect such special products in Tanabe... They should sell for a high price, hehehe."
Seeing the man's smile, which seemed to match his reputation as a corrupt merchant, Masaharu hesitated whether to stop him. But Yoshimatsu shook his head slightly, and he held back.
"Hehe, that's the spirit. Let's make a profit together, Kansuke!"
The child raised his left palm, forming a circle with his thumb and index finger. Kansuke couldn't understand what it meant, but it felt somehow vulgar and yet good.
"Sir, are you really sure? If the Ando family finds out..."
"What are you talking about? We just did some trading; we did nothing wrong. Besides, can't we make the ship go faster? Winter comes early in Mutsu. I want to visit Tanabe twice this year!"
On the ship circling the Tsugaru Peninsula, Kinsakuya Kansuke was grateful for his new encounter.
(I didn't know. I didn't expect such a prodigy in Tanabe. Oh, I can't say where I found out. I promised not to reveal my source. Hehe, it looks like I can make a lot of money!)
"Once we reach Fukaura, we'll head straight to Echigo and then Echizen. The profits are guaranteed!"
Kansuke mimicked Yoshimatsu, touching his left thumb and index finger together and wiggling them. He then whispered softly.
"Still, young master called me Kansuke until the end. I wonder if he'll remember next time."
This was the first encounter between Kinsakuya Kansuke, who would later become the greatest merchant in Tohoku, and Yoshimatsu.
The second sons and third sons of farmers are often the ones who become victims of population reduction. Such children are sold or exiled. And when they become slaves and are forced to work, they usually run away.
"Again. There's no need to chase them. They'll be back in three days anyway."
Among the fifty who came to Tanabe, some had fled. Normally, they would be searched for, captured, and punished, but Yoshimatsu deliberately left them alone. The Tanabe domain is surrounded by sea on three sides, making it impossible for children to reach Miharu or Nekoma on foot. And at night, it gets cold. There are also Japanese wolves in the mountains. In the end, they give up and return.
"Feed them well when they come back. Show them that in Tanabe, they won't go hungry, cold, or scared."
In the office, he faced the documents. Tanabe was gradually developing. After the land was prepared, the relocation of houses began. The foundations were solidified with Mutsu plaster, and houses were built with wood and bricks. The roofs were thatched, but the earthquake resistance and insulation were significantly improved.
"I know where the clay is. I want to start producing tiles eventually. But first, we need crops. Daikon, burdock, yam, eggplant, garlic, and leeks already exist. Next is soybeans. With soybeans, we can make miso and soy sauce."
If rice production increases, we can start making sake. That would sell for a high price in Echigo. With that money, we can buy people and bring in craftsmen. Then they can open new fields and increase production.
"Let's start with Ohata and Kawachi. We'll improve the roads and pave them with crushed stone. We'll form a logistics network centered on Tanabe and place special products in each area. Kawachi has clay, so it will be pottery. Ohata is out of sight, so it will be special items. Soap, paper, sake, and saltpeter..."
We can obtain high-quality sulfur from the Osorezan mountain range. With saltpeter, we can manufacture black powder. However, Yoshimatsu had no intention of making guns. It would be too time-consuming and expensive.
"Let's try the cupellation method. I don't want to let the Nanban merchants or the Ming profit."
Yoshimatsu had been muttering to himself when he realized that his guardian, Shinden Masaharu, was there. Yoshimatsu cleared his throat and straightened up.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about making Tanabe more prosperous. By the way, Grandfather, what's the matter?"
It was clearly just an excuse, but Masaharu ignored it. The mysterious child in front of him was his grandson, and he had high hopes for him. For the elderly Masaharu, this was a happy thing.
"The message is from the town of Kawa. They're sending people for population reduction. The population is increasing, but is it really okay?"
"It's fine. In fact, we need more. The rice is growing better than expected. We need more hands to develop the land further. First, we'll develop the north and west, and then the east."
Masaharu was aware of the urge to ask if they would go south. But even if he asked, the child in front of him would probably say "not now." Yoshimatsu had found several suitable lands for farming. If they successfully developed these, the Shinden family of Tanabe might become a daimyo with tens of thousands of koku. And if that happened, how the child in front of him would deal with the Hachinohe and Nanbu clans was beyond even the experienced Masaharu's prediction.
(´・∀・`)：The "Fukaura buried treasure legend" mentioned in the story is real. Kansuke was apparently very wealthy and was also called "Kansuke" as a nickname.
(=゜ω゜=)：Kinsakuya Kansuke... What a name. He sounds like a corrupt merchant.
(´・∀・`)：It has a good ring to it. I wanted to write "Help me, Kansuke!" but I scrapped it.
(=゜ω゜=)：No, that would be a bad idea.
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※The third volume of my modern fantasy "Dungeon Busters" will be released in June.
I would be happy if you could read it.
The first volume of this work, "Until the Crescent Moon Becomes My Land!" has been published by Earth Star Novels. Please pick it up!